pattee



(No Model.)

L. G. ZOLLINGER & W. H. PATTEE. JOINT FOR RAILWAY RAILS.

No. 526,212. Patented'Sept. 18, 1894.

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21% ATTORNEYS i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

LOUIS o. ZOLLINGER AND WILLIAM H. PATTEE, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA,ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO HENRY o. ZoLLINeER, OF SAME PLACE.

JOINT FOR RAILWAY-RAILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 526,212, datedSeptember 18, 1894.. Application filed April 30, 1894. Serial No.509,443. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern.- Be it known that we, LoUIs O. ZOLLINGER andWILLIAM H. PATTEE, citizens of the United States, residing at FortWayne, in the county of Allen, in the State of Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Joints for Railway-Rails; and wedo hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specifica- Ourinvention relates to improvements in rail-joints for railway rails.

The object of our invention is to provide a rail-joint for railway railsso constructed that the abutting ends or sections of the adjacent railsare adapted for a firm interlocking union, so united as to formpractically one contiguous rail and an unbroken smooth surface, in ordertoavoid the jar and sensation incident to passing over the uneven jointsof the railway-rails now in common use; and so arranged that whileadmitting of proper longitudinal movement due to expansion andcontraction, are, when in position, secure against either lateral orvertical movement or displacement relative to each other, under theheaviest strains, and are adapted to avoid the expensive use offish-plates, clamping-bolts, nut-locks, or other equivalent devices, andat the same time can readily be removed for repairs Without disturbingthe abutting or adjacent interlocking rails.

The novel feature of our invention consists in the construction by whicha secure interlocking union is secured without the use of fish-plates orbolts and the advantages of a practically contiguous rail are secured.

In the drawings forming part of this specification similar figures orreference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. I

Figure 1 is a perspective of the interlocking sections of our improvedjoint having the integral registering arm and lateral supportingshoulders. Fig. 2 is a perspective of the other section showing theparallel arms and slotted tread. Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views of Figs. 1and 2 respectively, showing also in dotted outline the relative positionof the parts when in engagement.

Our improved rail-joint is formed by a longitudinal extension of theball of the rail at the end of one of the abutting sections, the saidextension being centrally slotted and provided with the recess 9 whichextends an equal distance to the rear of the end of the rail for thereception of the registering arm or tenon 2 of the other interlockingsection. The parallel arms thus formed by the said slot and recess 9,which recess extends vertically only to the web of the rail, aresupported at their rear end by the lateral enlargements 5 of the web 6upon both sides of the rail, Fig. 2, and have their free projecting endssupported by the lateralshoulders 1 upon both sides of the registeringarm 2 when in position, the said shoulders being formed by a likelateral enlargement 5 of the web 6, Figs. 1 and 3. The said registeringor interlocking arm or tenon 2, whose upper surface is in alignment withthe tread of the rail, is adapted to register with the slot 9, and ispreferably about six inches in length, and is of the same verticalthickness of the said arms 3, the rear half of its length beingsupported It is obvious from the above description that the uppersurface of the parallel arms 3 and the registering tenon 2 are at alltimes, when in position, in perfect alignment with the tread of both ofthe abutting rails, thus forming practically one uniform smooth treadsurface.

ited longitudinal movement of said rails thus connected, caused byexpansion and contraction, the registering arm or tenon 2 will. then bein engagement with the said parallel arms and the said slot 9, its lowersurface resting of the engaging rail, thus forming one even surface, andwhen the ends of the abutting rails are thus arranged either lateral orvertical displacement or disarrangement of the abutting sections isimpossible under all circumstances, as they will be securely locked, andlongitudinal displacement is prevented by the holding spikes in theslots 8,thns avoiding the necessity of fish plates, bolts or nut--locks.

When it is desired to remove one of the said rails forming our improvedjoint for re pairs or other purpose, it is apparent that it can readilybe done without in the least interfering with the abutting rails withwhich said rail is interlocked, in the following manner: The said railsare so placed as to allow for maximum expansion, which will thus leave aspace between the abutting ends thereof at each joint and when the saidspikes are all removed the operator can by pushing or crowding the saidrail lengthwise the distance of one of the said spaces readily raise theother this removal, in the manner above described.

of April, A. D. 1894. end of the said joints when in position will 1 notcause any jar, as the said spaces are so 1 It is also evident that thesaid spaces at each bridged over by the registering arm or tenon 2 as toform one contiguous and even surface or tread in perfect alignmentthroughout. It is apparent that the use of our improved l rail-joint inno wise weakensthe rail for the abutting portions are strengthened bythe said lateral enlargement of the web.

Having thus briefly described our invention and the manner in which thesame is to be applied, what we desire to secure by LettersPatent is 1. Arail-jointlfor railway rails consisting of two sections of rails adaptedfor an interlocking'engagement, the interlocking end of one of saidsections having a forwardly extended and longitudinally slotted ball ortread, as shown, formingv two parallel arms strengthened and supportedby the laterally enlarged web of the abutting section, the abutting orinterlocking end of the other section havinga laterally enlarged webforming lateral shoulders to support the free projecting ends of thesaid parallel arms, and having a forwardly extending registering armadapted to form a locking engagement with the said parallel arms havingits free end. supported by the web of the abutting rail, allsubstantially as described.

2. The combination of two abutting rails, one having one end providedwith a laterally enlarged and shouldered web and a forwardly projectingand registering arm adapted to be supported throughout its length by thewebs of the abutting sections, the other rail having one end providedwith parallel arms and a slotted tread, adapted to form a lockingengagement with the said registering arm and lateral shoulders, the saidarms being supported by the laterally enlarged web of the abutting rail,all substantially as described.

Signed by us, at Fort Wayne, this 26th day LOUIS C. ZOLLINGER. WILLIAMH. PATTEE.

Witnesses:

O. J. MoLAlN, WM. J. LENNART.

